The present invention relates to a door for a kitchen oven, particularly of the ventilated type, comprising a peripheral frame carrying two transparent panes, i.e. an inner pane and an outer pane.
Such transparent panes usually are spaced from one another by a frame interposed therebetween for creating an interspace or air chamber permitting the temperature of the outer pane to be reduced for safety reasons (U.S. Pat. No. 3,339,541). This solution is rather complicated from the viewpoint of its construction, as it requires numerous components, particularly fastener elements for securing the inner frame to an outer frame. In addition, this solution renders the cleaning of the internal surfaces of the panes and the replacement of the outer panel practically impossible during use. As a main problem, however, there remains the temperature of the outer pane. The solution represented by a closed air chamber between the two panes does not provide for sufficient insulation for ensuring a limited rise of the temperature of the outer pane for eliminating danger to the user.
There have thus been proposed doors having two or more transparent panes with interspaces therebetween and provided with passages effective to create a natural circulation of cooling air (U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,692,015, 3,855,994, 3,893,442). Doors of this type are capable of improving the situation with regard to the temperature of the outer pane, but do not eliminate the above noted inconveniences. In particular, the problem regarding cleaning may even by aggravated due to the fact that the air rising in the interspaces may entrain dust, fumes and the like which are then deposited on the internal surfaces of the panes. Several solutions have been offered for facilitating the dismounting and internal cleaning of the door (German Pat. Nos. 3,104,710 and 3,238,441), but in these cases the problem of cooling the door, and in particular its handle, has not been approached or at least has not been solved in a satisfactory manner.
Examination of the prior art makes it appear that the two problems, i.e. cooling of the door and its handle, and removability or replacability of the outer pane, are of mutually exclusive nature, so that their solution in a unitary structure would present considerable difficulties.